come off

British  

verb

1. (also preposition) to fall (from), losing one's balance

2. to become detached or be capable of being detached

3. (preposition) to be removed from (a price, tax, etc)

   will anything come off income tax in the budget?

4. (copula) to emerge from or as if from a trial or contest

   he came off the winner

5. informal to take place or happen

6. informal to have the intended effect; succeed

   his jokes did not come off

7. slang to have an orgasm

8. informal stop trying to fool me!

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come off Idioms  

1. Happen, occur, as in The trip came off on schedule . [Early 1800s]

2. Acquit oneself, reach the end. This usage always includes a modifier, as in Whenever challenged he comes off badly , or This model is doomed to come off second-best . [Mid-1600s]

3. Succeed, as in Our dinner party really came off . [Mid-1800s]

4. See come off it .

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Example Sentences

"It's constantly coming off, so a lot of paint is on the floor".

From BBC

But the technology can also make basic factual mistakes in reviews, expose sensitive information, exaggerate praise or criticism, or come off as generic and impersonal, undermining the boss’s relationship with the employee.

From The Wall Street Journal

It found that slimmers who came off weight-loss injections regained their lost pounds four times faster than those who stopped a programme of conventional dieting and exercising.

From BBC

Sesko is yet to start in Carrick's six matches in charge but has come off the bench to net in three of his last four appearances with vital goals.

From Barron's

"The night the cloak came off," blazed a headline in the Indian Express newspaper.

From Barron's

Related Words

• go off
• go over
• pan out